Wow. Another great read. Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book before publication!

Lucy and Liam’s meet-cute was the literal DEFINITION of a small-town romance, with twists and turns and the necessary drama. This book had me gripped and excited to finish throughout!

The characters all played an exciting part in the story, even the moody, rude librarian. Who only seemed to be excited by Liam entering 😂

This book was the perfect, cosy, small-town romance that I would recommend in a heart beat.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was such a fun, cute read. I loved how meta it was when it came to romance novels and their tropes and thought that it was enjoyable read.

Thank you for letting me read and review this book on Netgalley.

I really enjoyed reading this book and it has also helped me get out of a reading slump.

What to expect:
- Small town romance
- Meet-cute
- Funny moments

Fans of Emily Henry will really enjoy this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A great and funny summer read. If you’ve ever seen How To Lose A Guy In Ten Days, this book gave me major vibes though instead of the main character working at a magazine, Lucy works at a book publication house.

I loved how realistic the author made everything seem, even in sunny smalltownville. Lucy is honest about living in NYC with all its struggles but also the expectations her parents have about going places.

The characters are quirky and it was very comical to see the FMC actually look for the romance book tropes in real life for her job 🤣

Rating: 4.25 star 🌟

Wolf is a rom-com connoisseur and it really shows in this book. Such a fun, fresh take on the classic small town romance and it is absolutely brimming with heart! There are so many great romance references to fairytales, romcoms and dating culture that for anyone who is a romance reader and is a fan of the culture of rom-coms it's such a satisfying and borderline nostalgic read.

I loved Lucy's voice, it was so honest and entertaining to read! Lucy has a great level of self awareness which made her really likeable, because there is nothing worse than watching a main character make silly decisions and be completely oblivious to their mishaps. And she is just remarkably relatable as a character. I loved that we got to see some neurodivergent representation, it doesn't happen often enough! Lucy being dyslexic was a small detail but I loved how it was written not as a sob story but more as just an aspect of her identity and life. Her cynicism but contrasting deep love of romance and the cultural phenomenon that is the rom-com genre. Also, she definitely puts the 'com' in 'rom-com' even with her wonderfully deadpan observations ('cleaning the floor at the Starbucks on the first floor of our office building with a stack of brown napkins that couldn't soak up a drip of water is so not where I thought I'd be right now'),

I don't usually find romance books that hilarious, but this one I had to keep stopping to write the note funny. I'll share some of my fave funny Lucy quotes/moments. When Lucy remarks at the state of dating apps and says to Elle 'is it too much to ask to swipe through these stupid apps and find someone who A) knows how old they are, B) isn't trying to sell me marijuana and C) isn't holding a dead fish. But no, I'm met with '23, not 29! 420 friendly! And mutilated Nemos with every trap. Romance books don't prepare you for these problems'). Hilarious. And scarily accurate! Also she just doesn't hold back at all, and I really loved that. When Elle teases her during a meeting, Lucy makes a face in response 'that implies that I will be murdering her with a stapler after this meeting'. Very funny.

I loved the concept of Lucy essentially being a mole in a small town to try and realistically create the concept for a romance novel for Ruby. It felt like she was an insider who was aware of all the classic tropes of romance books and almost breaking the fourth wall. I haven't read a book before with this concept so I must say it felt wildly original.

Liam didn't make as much of an impression on me, but that isn't really a red flag because it was single POV so I just wasn't exposed to Liam and his character as much as Lucy's. I will say though, their banter was fun and I did feel the spark/connection develop. It was nice to see a slow burn and not just an instant connection where there's loads of spice and it feels like being slapped in the face with a wet fish. I would describe their chemistry as lukewarm. It wasn't anything crazy and didn't blow me away but it was there and warranted the connection that you see these two characters share. There are some really good plot twists that were thrown in and Wolf does show us the messy reality of love which I really really really liked.

Plot wise, I did think it was pretty cool that the rom-com Lucy was writing essentially mirrored her life. We watched her almost write what happened and it was just really cool to see a FMC with so much autonomy over the plot rather than the classic damsel in distress vibes. I also was a huge fan of how the steamy sequences were written. I think this is a great book for readers who like closed door spice but equally those who like more intense spice. It landed so perfectly in the middle of being intense/graphic and vanilla that it was enjoyable but not overwhelming or on the other side of the spectrum, lacking.

Also, I can't write this review without mentioning Elle! The best friend to Lucy and the ultimate sidekick. She's so great and funny and it was so nice to see Lucy be supported by such a cool gal. She doesn't play a major role in the plot, but regardless she stood out as being exceptionally well written.

There's a couple reasons this book didn't land a higher rating with me. Firstly, parts of it I felt did wash over me. It was a super fast read and I was interested and engaged but there were some deeper elements that I just didn't connect with or parts of the backstory that I couldn't make myself care about. Some of the wording landed a bit oddly for me ('that boy is a book that needs his pages sniffed and devoured'...what?!) Also when she refers to Blue the dog 'moaning' in response to her petting him...very odd.

All in all, a super heart-warming and witty rom-com that gorgeously captures how love can find you when you really don't want it to.

How to Write a Rom-Com is a fresh take on the classic and much beloved small-town romance.

We follow Lucy, a publisher from the Big Apple, as she is tasked with the assignment of researching a small-town for inspiration for an upcoming novel. In doing so, she stumbles into her very own love story with restaurant owner and beloved town golden-boy Liam.

On paper, this book should have subverted many of the cliché small-town tropes, but I think it fell short. I see what Wolf was trying to do - call attention to the stereotypes entrenched in this trope, while also highlighting that people in small town do not have to be caricatures. However, I feel like she fell into her own trap. I didn't find the characters particularly nuanced, not their love story very convincing. I liked the individual character growth but I just wasn't convinced that they were The One for each other.

There were one too many pop-culture references and millennialism's for me. Many people read to escape real life, not to be constantly reminded of its presence. I will note that I am a die-hard small-town trope lover, so I may have taken this too personally. That being said, if there had not been so much emphasis placed on the trope of the small town, then I honestly would have forgiven some of these aspects. But, by specifically underlining it, I was all too aware of the narrative I felt like Wolf walked right into.

This romantic comedy novel follows Lucy Bowen, who has sworn off love after too many failed relationships. However, working at NYC's biggest romance publisher means she can't escape it. When the company's bestselling author, Ruby Jones, struggles with inspiration, Lucy is sent to a small lakeside town to find the spark for Ruby's next big love story. There, she meets Liam, a grumpy yet attractive restaurant owner, and love finds her when she least expects it.
A delightful grumpy x sunshine, rom com.

If you are a hard core rom-com fantatic then just make sure you read this. It's like an ode to a rom-com!

It's a rom-com within a romance, within a Hallmark movie.

It's small town perfection!

And there are loads of references to Friends too which I was totally there for, as I have watched all the episodes far too many times.

Lucy is now a fan of small towns, but she is trying to get a promotion to editor at the romance imprint she works for, and is asked to infiltrate a small town to come up with a plot and location for the imprint's best selling author to keep her onside.

But on arriving well she meets a picture perfect hunk of a neighbour, who doesn't seem keen on big city people, but looks like he should be in the pages of a book.

And everywhere she goes in Hudson Falls, Ruby is able to see parallels with small town romance novels. This works on so so many levels and just made me smile the whole time.

And there is so much to both of our main characters and the varied cast of locals that she meets. I loved just about everyone and was just a pure joy to read.

I'm a massive fan of the genre, and couldn't get enough of this book and author, which seems to be a very accomplished debut novel. I am already eager to see what she will write next as this was fabulous.

Thank you to Aria and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Unfortunately, I struggled to get into this one. It's possibly as I'm not in the mood for this sort of book, though, so I had to DNF. I may try this one again in the future, but for now it just wasn't for me.

“would you judge me too harshly if I said you had me at hello?”

thank you so much to netgalley and aria books for the opportunity to read an arc for this!!

when i tell you this book is exactly what i needed right now, i am obsessed. i totally could have devoured this in a day but i’m so glad i savoured it for longer. hudson hollow, lucy and liam (and blue) are the most loveable and believable setting and people i have read in a long time. i think they’re gonna stay with me for a while.

How to Write a Rom-Com is a cosy, heart warming gem that blends small-town charm with a thoughtful journey of self-discovery. Centred on Lucy, she is sent to the idyllic Hudson Hollow, the story delivers a delightful balance of humour, emotion, and romance. The town itself is a vividly drawn and brimming with personality. Lucy’s personal growth feels authentic and relatable, as she navigates her career ambitions, wavering faith in love, and an unexpected connection with the guarded but endearing Liam. Their evolving relationship, paired with a cast of quirky yet sincere locals, makes for a sweet and satisfying read. Perfect for fans of gentle romances and stories about finding your place, How to Write a Rom-Com is a light yet meaningful escape you won’t want to leave.

This was absolutely delicious.

Lucy is a romance editor sent to small town US to gather information for an authors new book. There, she meets Liam, a man with a deep distrust of of city dwellers and a huge thing for Lucy.
Short, sweet and oh so tense, watching Lucy and Liam fall in love, when they were both so against it was amazing. It's passionate, tense and cares so deeply about the romance genre. I would absolutely recommend this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the advanced copy. The book comes out on 15th May!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7539802974?book_show_action=false

Instagram post review pending (expected 6th/7th May)

This was a cute read. Bits and pieces were predictable. I don’t know if I really liked the male main character. Thought he was a bit of a prick. Of course there’s a HEA but I would have liked his reaction to not be like some type of borderline abuse fight type situation. Of course it was natural that she was writing her own story and that I did LOVE.

After too many failed relationships, Lucy Bowen has sworn off romance, which isn’t great as she works at NYC's biggest romance publisher, Heartwarming. Yet when the company’s bestselling author, Ruby Jones, threatens to leave due to dwindling sales, Lucy's boss takes drastic action and sends her to Hudson Hollow, a small town, to research Ruby's next big love story. Lucy expects picture-perfect charm, but when she meets restaurant owner Liam, he is instantly guarded due to the comments that she makes. Yet, as they overcome their initial hesitations, they soon have all the makings of a beautiful romance.
I really enjoyed this sweet romance between two interesting characters. Lucy has struggled with finding her place in life, loving the idea of a romance novel but being jaded by love. Liam was naturally cautious, but he is obviously smitten and makes Lucy feel valued. I enjoyed many of the characters of Hudson Hollow, some of whom are quite quirky and others, such as Liam’s sister and best friends, who are just very sincere in wanting the best for Liam. An endearing read.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was a brilliant book!
As soon as I saw it listed I was hoping I would be accepted! Thank you for the ARC copy of this I really appreciate it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Aria & Aries for this ARC.

Lucy, 28, is a romance editor at Heartwarming Publishers in NYC, living and working with BFF Elle. Her boss Anne sends her to sleepy Hudson Hollow in upstate New York to get inspiration and ideas for a new small-town romance by a tricky but prolific elderly author they cannot afford to lose. For some bizarre reason she is to not disclose this fact to anyone, therefore treating the town inhabitants like zoo animals she's observing for a purpose.

Obviously, she immediately crosses paths with hunky Liam Miller who's a chef and has an adorable dog called Blue. She's a jaded city girl, he doesn't like city people too much. What could go wrong?

I didn't like Lucy very much and didn't understand why she needed to use swear words so frequently, especially when she used the word in a way that it could have been substituted by "stuff" or "thing".

I liked the idea of writing a book about researching and writing a romance book, it's very meta. Unfortunately, the execution was a lot less interesting than the idea. The plot was incredibly clichéd and predictable, with clunky dialogue and overexplaining of feelings. The supporting small-town characters were supposed to be quirky but made no impression on me and weren't given any opportunity to shine.

The tropes were tired, and I didn't find Liam an engaging character. Also, small-town romances are fine if a character has moved there for a new start but putting a city girl in a fish out of water situation and making her suddenly appreciate that life is too conservative for me.

The writing style is very humorous though and I liked the Aunt Josie subplot that gave more depth to the story. Read it if you like very traditional, unironic small-town romances with plenty of tropes.

2.75 stars

Book Review💫💫
How To Write a Rom-Com by Cristina Wolf
Pub Date: May 15th 2025

Arc provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Debut Novel
Small town romance
Single POV
He falls first
Book about books

Lucy Bowen has had enough of romance and sworn off love. Working in the biggest romance publishing house she deals with it on the regular. When their bestselling author Ruby is in a creative rut and threatens to leave due to poor sales.

She is sent to a small lakeside town to find inspiration for Ruby's next bestselling love story. And suddenly she finds all her views beginning to change..


-
I've been on such a weird funk with my reading lately that I am not obsessed with anything I have read lately but this book was the complete opposite.

Just loved it, such a good read. I will recommend this to everyone I cross paths with.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Such a quick, charming read! I loved the premise of How to Write a Rom-Com from the very start - an editorial assistant at a romance imprint sent to a small town to work on a book idea for a burnt out author? Brilliant. Lucy was such a great heroine. I really connected with her, and her weaning hope in romance being real. Her character arc was done so beautifully, from the eagerness for promotion and frustration to embracing the people of the gorgeously set lakeside town, to falling in love with Liam and realising what she wanted from her own life.

The ending had me grinning like an idiot to my Kindle on a plane. Just loved it, such a lovely book. Would recommend to all rom com fans!

I loved this book so much. It was a perfect debut romance.

It had all the feels you need.
It was a pleasure reading this book about writing a rom-com. It's interesting learning about what an author has to do to write a book.
Can't wait to read this authors next book.
Just loved it!!!!

Thank you, Net Galley, for providing me with this uncorrected proof for review.

I was disappointed in this novel, as I came to it expecting to find something more than a romance. The idea at the heart of the novel, showing how writing a romance works is smart. However, the story never goes beyond this simple aspiration. Depicting engaging characters who struggle against the platitudes of the genre, raising some comic plot devices to undermine the genre, while eventually having to succumb – after all, who wants to really deprive the world of romance and its authors – would have been such a smart move. Cristina Wolf does not take this option.

So, how well does she do with the material with which she chooses to work? Girl meets boy under a false pretext, dawning realisation of attraction and guilt about the secrecy, eventual resolution? The setting, a publisher, is a positive. Researching a plot and characters for a romance novel, is another clever idea. However, for me this was potential unrealised. There is a lovely, fortuitous event beginning and ending the story, and Wolf’s references to familiar romantic fiction, films, and television series, provides good background to her ideas. Lucy has potential, as do the other characters. However, repetitious phrases – people ‘whine’ rather than speak, are jarring.

For readers who want a romance, this book will satisfy. For those who want more, it will disappoint.